"When you're accustomed to privilege, equality feels like oppression."
I love Pride Month. Our company has tried hard to be a place where everyone feels welcome and respected - it's in our core values and it turns out there are no qualifiers around the word "everyone". However, I'm always a little disappointed with some of the reactions I see on social media and otherwise around the time Pride Month. They are usually variations on the same theme - that because one does not understand it or see its value, it's dismissed as a waste of time, dollars, mind space, and ultimately seen as a sign that "we" (individuals, companies, the entire country, everybody) is becoming too woke (whatever that word even means anymore). It always smacks of fear and/or a fundamental misunderstanding to me when I see these kinds of reactions.
My unsolicited advice to folks who feel this way is to step back, listen, and observe. Be curious. Sure Pride can be fun for a lot of people, but it also is a time to recognize that there's a large portion of our fellow humans who are marginalized for not being cis-het. If that wasn't the case, then there'd be no need for Pride as a "thing". We would just have people living their lives the way they want and loving who they want. But, as the data and the stories will show, there is still marginalization, bias, and prejudice evident for the LGBTQ+ community. So, if you're genuinely struggling with understanding the point or purpose of Pride, practice that active listening and let those who are actually impacted do the talking.
🌈 Happy Pride Month! 🌈 We proudly celebrate and support our LGBTQ+ team members, partners, and friends. At Gray Solutions, we are dedicated to fostering a workplace where everyone feels valued, respected, and included.
🔗 Read more about "Leading with Pride" https://hubs.la/Q02z5wVG0
#PrideMonth #GraySolutions
